The Disney movie, “Frozen,” is an undisputed hit and so is the chilly aisle in your local Brookshire’s.

I didn’t even know vegetables and other foods came in a can until I was an adult out living on my own. Luckily, my mom knew what we hope you know, too: frozen produce is a heck of a lot healthier than canned goods.

Freezing is a natural preservative that upholds quality, prolongs shelf life and retains nutritional value by immediately locking in freshness. There’s no added salt or sugar. Produce and other quality items don’t sit around; they’re frozen at the peak of freshness after they’re picked, harvested or prepared. So many quality frozen products are chef-prepared fresh then flash frozen to seal in quality and flavor.

In addition, many frozen foods have far fewer calories, fat and sodium than restaurant options and offer an additional benefit of portion control. It’s easy to reheat one burrito instead of going through the drive through.

Frozen foods are economical and practical for a family of any size. I can buy a 5-lb bag of frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts and take out three if I want to grill for my whole family or just one if I’m home alone. For single servings or large parties, frozen foods can be the easy way to go.

So, take a stroll down that icy aisle today and see what kinds of treats you can find.

I can eat avocado in almost anything. The beauty of this power-packed fruit is that it takes on the flavor of almost anything you serve it with, kind of like tofu but better.

This salad packs in vitamins and antioxidants from the fruit, and you get good fats and protein from the avocado. I usually swap the iceberg lettuce for spinach, but you can do it either way. Just remember iceberg lettuce, while giving a crunchy contrast texture, doesn’t add much in the way of nutrition.

Directions:Place lettuce in a salad bowl. Add strawberries, blueberries, mozzarella and avocado slices. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and gently mix it all together. Serve.

I say this in past tense, but she really she still grows a garden, I just don’t live close enough to benefit from it.

I remember summers spent going out to her garden to harvest fresh green beans, cucumbers, corn and bell peppers for dinner. I don’t think I can choose a favorite, but her stuffed bell peppers made from fresh produce straight out of our back yard was pretty delicious.

I have loved bell peppers ever since. I love the earthy flavor of the green ones and the sweet flavor of red, yellow and orange varieties. I make stuffed peppers frequently, but I also found this slaw recipe last summer. I’m not a huge coleslaw fan, but this side dish is positively delicious! Bell peppers are on sale this week at Brookshire’s, so try this today.

I had to do a little digging to find out the origin of the Hasselback potato.

Google didn’t yield information as quickly as I’d hoped for, but I finally found an entry that read, “Named after the Stockholm restaurant that first introduced them, Hasselback potatoes have been adopted widely by other European cuisines. They are known as ‘accordion potatoes’ in Ireland’s version of the dish.”

So, there you have it.

These potatoes are so thinly sliced, although not all the way through, that they collect the buttery goodness and other flavors between the velvety slices for a flavor that runs deeply through the dish. This version has bacon!

Great with a steak or as a side dish for a crowd, try this version while potatoes are on sale at Brookshire’s.

Directions: Lay the bacon pieces on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Using a sharp knife, make crosswise cuts in each potato (about 1/8 inch apart), stopping about 1/4 inch from the bottom.

Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and carefully transfer to a baking sheet; let cool slightly. Pat the potatoes dry, then insert 3 pieces of the frozen bacon into the cuts of each potato, spacing the bacon evenly and letting it poke out of the top. Melt 5 tablespoons butter, and brush generously over the potatoes and in the cuts. Reserve any excess butter for basting. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake until the outsides are browned and crisp (about 2 hours), basting halfway through with the reserved melted butter.

When the potatoes are almost done, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and mix with the scallions, parsley and garlic. Spoon over the potatoes and roast 5 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and season with salt and pepper.

Directions: Set out a large plate or bowl with a piece of parchment or wax paper on it. Cut up the bananas into good-sized chunks. Each banana should give you around 5 to 6 pieces. Heat the peanut butter and carob chips in the microwave on HIGH for about a minute; stir until smooth.

Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. Lay them out, leaving some space between them on the parchment/wax paper. Then, sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Transfer to the freezer and freeze overnight.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and that means roses, chocolate, wine and strawberries, although not necessarily in that order.

For couples, Valentine’s Day can be a romantic time. For us single people, Valentine’s Day comes with a bit of dread. I attend a Sunday school class for single parents, so you can imagine that there’s not a lot of love for February 14 in our group. However, because we always make the best of everything, we usually have a group event on that evening and enjoy each other’s company.Last year, one woman made cheesecake stuffed strawberries, and I’m pretty sure they were gone before we ate the actual meal.

I’m going to make them this year because even if three of us bring the same thing, we still won’t have enough!

Directions:Use a paring knife to cut stems off strawberries. Hollow out a small hole in the center of the strawberries. You can also cut a small piece off the bottom of each strawberry so it will stand.

Last night, I went straight from work to an event for the 2014 Cattle Baron’s Gala. The actual gala raises money for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society to provide patient support services and fill other needs for people suffering from cancer in our area.

A Cattle Baron’s event has happened in almost every southern city I’ve lived in, but this is the first year I’ve actually been a part of the committee that puts it all together. The American Cancer Society estimates that right now, more than 13 million people are living with cancer. Chances are that it will impact the lives of each and every one of us, so I definitely felt compelled to get involved with Cattle Barons.

Last night’s event was the announcement of the entertainment for this year’s gala. The fun part was that the headliner himself, Joe Nichols, was in attendance! The other fun part was the FOOD. Let’s be honest, it’s always the food.

There were flat bread pizzas topped with grilled vegetables, brisket and ribs, enchiladas in a white queso sauce and a nacho bar. However, what I went straight for were the stuffed avocados. This particular dish is a signature of the catering company. I only get them at their events, and I look forward to them every time.

There were three different kinds of stuffed avocados: black bean, mango and corn. I love the black bean variety!

Even better, studies show that avocados are a great cancer-fighting food because they’re rich in many nutrients, including potent antioxidants and phytochemicals as well as vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy, monounsaturated fats.

In addition, black beans have been linked to reducing the risk for prostate and breast cancers, as consuming more legumes increases levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which in high concentrations has protective effects against cancer growth.

Directions:Mix black beans and salsa. Slice avocados in half; remove the stone. In the indentation left by the pit, scoop a generous two tablespoons of the bean mixture and stuff into the avocado. Serve cold or place under the broiler for about one minute.

I mentioned recently that a lovely friend in my Sunday school class brought tandoori chicken to a class party. I’ve made her recipe TWICE since then!

In the meantime, I’ve rediscovered my love of Indian foods and flavors. Back when I lived in Germany in the 1990s, I used to go to Luxembourg fairly frequently with my friend, Rachel, for Indian food at a delicious restaurant right in Luxembourg City. Our city was only about 40 minutes from the borders of Belgium, Luxembourg and France so going to eat Indian food in a different country was really less exotic than it sounds.

One winter, Rachel was pregnant with her first child and craving Indian food, but she was hesitant as she was nearing her due date and had heard the old wives’ tale that spicy food (as many Indian dishes can be) could trigger labor. Well, that was all fine and good, but Rachel was trying to avoid having her baby on February 29, as that year was a Leap Year.

Well, we gave into Rachel’s cravings on February 28 and delighted in just about every spicy dish on that menu.

You guessed it.

Her son was born February 29.

Whether it was an old wives’ tale or just coincidence, we’ll never know.

I do know there are some healthy and delicious ways to cool down Indian food. My favorite is with cucumber raita, a mixture of yogurt and cucumber that is as refreshing as it is delicious!

I think most days it’s colder in my house than it is outside. I’ve replaced the weather stripping and battened down the proverbial hatches, and I light the fireplace as soon as dusk falls. However, it’s hard to defeat the chill in the air. Needless to say, I’ve been making a lot of soups this winter. They warm you through and through.

I love this one because I can sneak so many vegetables into it! My kids are much better about eating vegetables these days, but it can’t hurt to work in a few extra.

Directions:Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add onions, leeks, shallots and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low, and sauté onion mixture until soft and slightly golden, about 15 minutes.

Add chicken broth, cauliflower, potatoes, parsnips, salt and white pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a constant simmer and cover. Cook until all veggies are very tender, about 20-25 minutes

Add feta and puree with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth and velvety. If soup is too thick, add a bit more chicken broth to thin. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with a bit more feta and a sprinkle of the diced red bell pepper and chopped parsley.